NEW ORLEANS–Lots of interesting tid-bits around the 49ers’ media availability today, so let’s get right into it…

* Frank Gore, one of Alex Smith’s best friends on the team, gave a strong hint that the players know Smith wants a chance to start, that it almost certainly won’t be happening with the 49ers, and that Smith will look to leave the team this off-season.

“I know Alex and he can play,” Gore said. “And I know he wants to be ‘the man.’ And for me, I want him to be ‘the man.’

“If he can’t be ‘the man’ here I want him to go somewhere else and have a successful career. Because he started it off, things were tough on him.

“And he got the opportunity—last year he had a great year. This year he was having a great year and got hurt. I would want him to be successful.”

Gore said Smith’s attitude after the switch to Colin Kaepernick is more proof of Smith’s character–and why he’s so popular in the 49ers locker room.

“I respect Alex so much,” Gore said. “He’s been through so much since he’s been in the NFL. He’s been a pro, like he’s always been. Keeps his head up, when he gets his number called in practice, he’s still prepared like he’s the starter.

“He comes in early still, studies film like he’s the starter, and I respect him. We came in together and I’ve seen everything he’s gone through.

“So whatever happens after this, I wish the best for him.”

Jim Harbaugh also gave Smith credit for aiding the development of Kaepernick–gave him a TON of credit, more than I’ve ever heard him give before

“Another person really to credit in Colin’s success because Alex has really helped coach Colin and has been right there by his side,” Harbaugh said. “Sitting there in meetings every single day.

“He coaches Colin now more than I do, and that speaks high of the kind of person and teammate that Alex Smith is.”

* Harbaugh had an interesting overall media session–more interesting than yesterday’s for sure–which included the first announcement that Aldon Smith had won the team’s MVP (Bill Walsh Award).

“Aldon has had a tremendous year for us and a tremendous two years for our football team,” Harbaugh said. “The players and coaches have voted Aldon our most valuable player for this past year. I think that speaks volumes to the kind of impact that he has on our team. That was an internal vote.”

A few minutes later, I asked Aldon Smith if he was surprised to get the nod.

“Yeah, man,” Smith said with a big smile. “There are a lot of guys that are good. There are a lot of guys that could’ve gotten that award.

Who’d Smith vote for?

“Randy Moss,” Smith said, adding that he’s always been a Moss fan. (Not sure if he was serious about the Moss vote, however.)

* Harbaugh also mentioned that he has no worries about his team’s focus–the team hotel is right next to the French Quarter and a block away from a casino.
Harbaugh said he hasn’t had to address the issue but that “some of the players have.”

Guess who took the lead on that: Randy Moss, naturally. Well, if you’ve been following this team this year, it’s not much of a surprise, at least–the players swear by him and the coaches point to him constantly (even if he doesn’t talk to us much).

“Randy said it–we’re here on business,” guard Alex Boone said. “We’re not here to party, we’re not here to have fun. We’re here to work and when you’re done, you can do whatever you want.”

“To have a guy like him on this team is huge–and the things he said were absolutely right. We’re out here for business. We’re not here to play. We’re not here to go out. We’re here to work, let’s work.”

Said Gore: “(Moss) just told us this has to be a business trip. Just think of all the things we’ve been through. He said he’s been here before, it didn’t happen and he was, man, he really wanted it. He was going to do whatever it takes when he’s on the field to help us get this ring.

“He was, like, we’ve just got to sacrifice this one week. And when we get the ring, we can do whatever we want to do after that.”

Harbaugh also liked the point made (by Cam Inman and me, I think) that the 49ers were very matter-of-fact coming off the plane last night… with zero players using cameras to capture every moment.

Just another road trip.

“I saw that some people commented on the fact that our team wasn’t taking pictures or video cameras when they were coming off the plane last night,” Harbaugh said.

“That was not addressed by anything, no media, nobody talked about that. That was something that our team didn’t do for some reason. Suffice it to say, we just trust our team.”

Lord, I love this team. From top to bottom, there isn’t one position where I say “we’re great but…” Win or lose, that’s a wonderful feeling.

Niner

Better than Jerry rice? Kook, don’t talk it, prove it! It’s the sb baby, no question they can’t double him all night letting kap, Crabtree and vd free. If he can win his one on ones , then talk.

orangeandblack

HUGE leadership move by Moss. The dude is making an impact. He knows how much it stings when you almost have the ring, woulda coulda shoulda, and you didn’t. Who’da thought, Randy is the Niners Ray Lewis.

Mike

Moss has a right to his opinion. He’s also a guy that his teammates look up to.

I hope when he retires he works coaching receivers.

He’s a Hall of Famer. Anyone that think Rice was better? Ok that’s your opinion (shared by most others), but who cares? Jerry Rice should have just laughed it off instead of being so whiny about it.